Sinking low
I can't believe how difficult even the simplest life tasks have become. This weekend, the baby and I went to visit my parents, who live about an hour north of San Francisco. Mark stayed home to get work stuff done. Anyway, at about 4 am, I had to pee. My brain was working in a semi-haze, but I summoned all my reserves of mental energy to try to solve the Great Problem: how would I go to the bathroom? I had no one to hand the baby to (I didn't want to wake up my parents); there was no bassinet or crib or other type of baby prison to leave her in; and I couldn't bring myself to leave her on a bed or sofa, cuz what if she fell off and cracked her poor little head and all the baby books warn you never to do that.
So finally, I took her into the bathroom with me and placed her, very neatly, on the floor while I peed. She was on a bathmat, and I put a nice bag of cotton balls under her head for a pillow. I still felt like she was peering up dubiously at me from the floor from within the straitjacket of her swaddling blanket, saying, "In some recesses of my pre-linguistic memory, I am recording this degrading experience, Mom."
So finally, I took her into the bathroom with me and placed her, very neatly, on the floor while I peed. She was on a bathmat, and I put a nice bag of cotton balls under her head for a pillow. I still felt like she was peering up dubiously at me from the floor from within the straitjacket of her swaddling blanket, saying, "In some recesses of my pre-linguistic memory, I am recording this degrading experience, Mom."
posted by Sarah Goss at 10:06 PM
11 Comments:
That is awesome, Sarah. I think, though, you misinterpreted the look. I think what she was really thinking is, "Wow, my mom is so resourceful she even though to give me a cotton ball pillow. It is very considerate of her, and very comfy. My mom rocks."
I had similar experience when I went to Seattle for 4 days for a job interview when daughter was 5 months old. I tried to put Adele down in her infant car seat while I ran for the bathroom. She was screaming and trying to throw herself out of it as I ran next door--it was awful. Your way sounds much better--Amy
I think the answer is Depends, Sarah. That way you can just pee in your pants. ;-)
Heh! Thank you, Beth :-)
Impressive! I got very good at the one-armed baby hold (really, my left arm is mighty strong, now, since my daughter was 14 months when I met her and now, at 3.5, occasionally feels she Cannot Be Left Alone, Thank You). It's not great for the personal hygiene aspect, but then, isn't motherhood all about reducing one's standards of personal hygiene?
Daisy is beautiful, btw.
I knew that smell was coming from your office ...
Mita, the scary thing is, I am not that far away from thinking that's a good idea.
Hi friend of Mita! Oh yes, motherhood IS about reducing one's standards of personal hygiene. It is amazing how quickly all my vanity has flown out the door. It's actually a bit scary. Thank you so much for the compliment for Daisy! I'd love to see a pic of your daughter.
I wouldn't've even thought about a pillow.
Oh, I love that! Maybe I am being too hard on myself. Yesterday I contemplated letting her sleep in soiled, wet clothing because I was so relieved she had finally gone to sleep. I ended up changing her (and waking her up, of course), but I am plagued by some of the unmotherly thoughts I've had.
Normal, normal, normal.
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